In wireless communication represented by a wireless LAN complying with the IEEE802.11 standard series, there are many setting items to be set in advance. The setting items include wireless parameters necessary for wireless communication, such as an SSID as a network identifier, an encryption scheme, an encryption key, an authentication scheme, and an authentication key. It is very troublesome for a user to manually set them.
Various manufacturers have proposed automatic setting methods for easily setting wireless parameters in a wireless apparatus. In those automatic setting methods, one apparatus provides another apparatus with wireless parameters using a procedure predetermined between these connected apparatuses and a message, thereby automatically setting the wireless parameters.
As for the automatic wireless parameter setting method, each manufacturer often employs its own method. Procedures for setting wireless parameters or interpretable messages are different between apparatuses which do not support a common wireless parameter automatic setting method. In this case, it is impossible to set wireless parameters using the automatic setting method. On the other hand, between apparatuses which support a common wireless parameter automatic setting method, it is possible to easily set wireless parameters using the automatic setting method.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-338821, an example of a wireless parameter automatic setting method is disclosed.
In a conventional wireless parameter setting method, the roles of a provider (transmitting side) and receiver (receiving side) of wireless parameters are predetermined. The transfer direction of the wireless parameters is, therefore, uniquely determined.
When the roles of a provider and receiver of wireless parameters are not predetermined, it is impossible to uniquely determine the transfer direction of the wireless parameters. In such a case, if a user is required to select an apparatus as a provider and an apparatus as a receiver of parameters, user friendliness is significantly decreased.
Furthermore, if a plurality of apparatuses are providers, an apparatus as a receiver cannot determine from which of those providers it should receive parameter information.
The above problems may arise not only for wireless parameters but also for wired communication parameters which need to be set for communication between apparatuses.